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September 1, 2011

G136: Yankees 4, Red Sox 2

The Red Sox loaded the bases with two outs in the bottom of the ninth against Mariano Rivera. Jed Lowrie led off with a walk and, with two outs, Jacoby Ellsbury drew a pass and Marco Scutaro singled to shallow right. Adrian Gonzalez, who had walked twice and doubled in four previous PAs, was called out on strikes by home plate umpire Alfonso Marquez. It looked like a horseshit call on YES, but Brooks has the goods - and shows that the pitch was legit:

We know Rivera gets an extra-wide strike zone -- because it's been proven -- but Marquez called an excellent inning. Actually, Lowrie got a call on a borderline 2-2 pitch that easily could have gone the other way.

Marquez's calls on Ellsbury were perfect, according to Brooks.

Lester (5-7-1-3-6, 114) threw 44 pitches (!) in the first inning, but allowed only one run, escaping serious damage by striking out Jesus Montero (his first major league at-bat) with the bases loaded.

Boston took a 2-1 lead when Gonzalez hit a ground-rule double to open the fourth and Dustin Pedroia followed with a home run (#18) to dead center. Alfredo Aceves and Daniel Bard faltered in the seventh, as the Yankees scored three times. Bard allowed two inherited runners to score on Russell Martin's double and then Martin scored on Eric Chavez's pinch-hit single.

Felix Doubront pitched the top of the eighth and got the first man in the ninth. He looked very good. Brett Gardner walked on eight pitches , but was caught stealing 1-3-6-3-4 on a snappy pickoff move. Felix then struck out Robinson Cano (also eight pitches) and Nick Swisher (only three).